Freight support structure for trucking vans and the like



Feb. 5, 1952 2,584,506

E.. W. SHREVE FREIGHT SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR M TRUCKING VANS AND THE LIKE Filed June 17, 1949 I5 I 1/ /51 5 1 [a 2125/! INVENTOR. mm M .Sfl/Fflt'.

1 I 1 1111/11/11 111/111 1 1/! 1 1/11 I/IIIIII Patented Feb. 5, 1952 uNITEusrArss g-TENT oF'Fics Y FREIGHT SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR TRUCKINGYAN S AND THE LIKE V 7 Earl W. Shreve, Indianapolis, 1nd.

This invention relates to a freight support structure for trucking vans and the like.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a support structure adapted to have loaded thereupon light and fragile freight thereby separating it from the heavy freight which may also be loaded in the van.

During the normal operations of any transportation agency, all types of freight are tende freight is carelessly loaded in such a manner,

that the heavy freight is near the top of the van. This creates a top-heavy condition which has been known in many instances to be the sole cause of serious accidents.

7 The present invention provides a means of overcoming these serious disadvantages and is conducive to careful loading of freight.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a plurality of independent support structures thereby making it possible for as many or as few to be used as the character of the freight may require. In the event there is a minimum quantity of light and bulky freight, it will be necessary and possible to use butone or two of the supporting decks. On the other hand, if the occasion requires it, all may be used.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an auxiliary supporting structure or deck which may be used when desired to bridge the space between opposed decks, thereby providing an even larger area of deck surface when needed.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide supporting decks of such construction that they may be folded up when not in use to an out-of-the-way position adjacent the side walls of the van. I

The primary feature of the invention resides inthe construction of the auxiliary decks, which when disposed horizontally provide additional freight supporting surfaces, and when disposed vertically serve as guards to retain the freight in .position on the main deck structures.

The full nature of the invention will be under- Application June 1'1, 194 .9, fierial No. 99,839 2 Claims. (of. res-ere) 2 stoodfrom the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

In the drawings, Fig. l is a horizontal section view of the trucking van showing the deck structures in use position.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section view thereof taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings is and If show the side and end walls, respectively, of a trucking van. One of the end walls comprises the hingedly. secured doors H2 and E3 to permit entrance into the interior of the van. Extending longitudinally within the van and disposed adjacent the side walls thereof are the opposed freight supporting structures or decks shown generally at I4 and i5. While two such decks are shown in the drawings to be disposed adjacent each side wall of the van, it is to be understood that more than two can be used by reducing the length of each deck. Each deck is preferably of a width less than one-half the width of the interior of the van. When the opposed decks are disposed in horizontal, freight supporting position, an aisle I511 is formed therebetween.

The framework of each of the decks comprises the side members 35 and the end members H, which are suitably coupled together by the elbows 8 to form a generally rectangular frame. While the frame members are shown to be tubular in the drawings, it is to be understood that they may be formed of any suitable material. In order to form a base upon which the freight can be supported, a plurality of longitudinally and transversely disposed slats I9 and 2%, respectively, are secured to the side and end frame members.

The freight supporting decks thus formed are each pivotally secured to the side walls of the van through the use of pipe straps 2! It is, of course, a matter of choice as to how many of these straps should be used, the decision being dependent upon the weight of the decks, the

. weight of the freight loaded thereon and related matters.

Supporting each deck when in its horizontally disposed, freight supporting position, are the foldable support braces 22. The lower end 23 of each brace is pivotally secured to the outer side member of the deck adjacent its juncture with the elbow. The upper end 24 of each is pivotally secured to the side wall of the van.

"The decks will each normally be disposed'ln an upwardly extending, out-of-the-way position substantially parallel with the side wall of the van. Each is retained in that position when the. van is not in use, when it is to be loaded only with heavy freight, or when a particular deck is not needed because of insuificient light freight, by the hangers 25 to which the outer, side members of the deck are adapted to be removably secured.

The primary feature-of the invention, however; rests in the construction of the auxiliary deck structure which is designed to be moved from a position where it serves as a freight retaining wall, to a position where it servesasanadditional freight supporting deck. This structurgincludes. Ts 26 which are pivotally secured to the outer side member of each main deck, there preferably being one T positioned adjacent. each end of. the side member inwardly of the elbow.

Suitably secured to each T is a tubular arm 21 having an elongated; slot 23 formed in the upper portion-of its wall. Theextremities of the. slot are rounded. Slidably mounted: within the arm is the latch bolt 29 to which is threadedly secured the knurled thumbscrew-30. A portion of screw 38 is rounded makingitposs-ible for it, to be seated within the rounded extremities of the slot.v By'unscrewing thumb screw. 3il-adistance sufiicient to clear the walls defining-the. roundedportionthelatoh bolt may be moved relative to the tubular arm. The bolt has a projection 3i formedon its innergend which is adapted. to slip; within the aperture 32 formed in the upper face of the side member of themain deck.

When the quantity of; light freig t is not suffi: cient to warrant the use of the auxiliary decks, the Ts and tubular arms will bedisposed in a vertical positionrelative to the main deck with. the projection extending within theabove-mentinned aligned apertures, (see dotted lines, Fig. 3.). The thumb screw will have been tightened tohold the latch bolt in'that positionso that its projection will be held firmly within the aperture and will not be responsive to the jolts and; bounces of the. moving van. When in sucha verticalposition, the auxiliary deck, havingas it.

does a series of longitudinal slats 33, will serve .as; a guard or retaining wall to prevent the. freight deposited on the main deck fromfalling off thereof.

When the quantity of light freight justifies the use of the auxiliary decks, the thumb screws may. be untightened topermit the latch; bolts to be moved upwardly until'their respectiveprojections are removed from the apertures. At that time'the Ts may be swung downwardly carrying the auxiliary deck therewith. Thesame procedure is. followed with respect. to the opposed. auxiliary deck when the tubular arms of. each opposed deck are in aIignment the latch bolt carried by either of the-opposed arms may be moved outwardly until'the bolt has been telescopically inserted within its: aligned,- opposed. arm. At such time the thumb screw is tightened thereby lcckingthe opposed armsqtogetherin a common plane with each other and with the main deck; With this construction, the gap betweenopposedmain decksis completely bridged and additional space is thereby provided for the loadingof freight.

The invention. claimed is:

1. Inatrucking van and the like adaptedfor doubledeck loading, a pair, of opposed coplanar. freight. supporting, decks each having .a width less than one-half the width of the interior of said van and being pivotally secured in spaced relation to opposite van side walls intermediate the top and bottom thereof, said decks being swingable from a horizontal freight supporting position to a position contiguous to the van wall and having foldable support elements connecting their free edges to said respective van walls. and. an..auxiliary freight supporting deck for each of said first'mentioned decks having tubular side members pivotally secured to the free edge of said first mentioned deck, said tubular members havingxopeningsrin their free edges and a slidable: latch boltmovable therein, said latch bolt beingadapted to be extended beyond said tubular member toa locking position within the tubular member of :anopposed auxiliary deck when said auxiliary decks are swung to a horizontal position, and means retaining said latch bolts in locked condition.

2;.In a. trucking van. and the like adapted for doubledeck loading, a plurality of opposed,

coplanar, freight supporting decks. each being pivotally secured: to a van side wall adjacent oneto the other along each side respectively of the interior of said van, saidv decks each having a width less than one-half the width of the interior of :said van and being adapted to beswung fromna horizontal freight supporting position to substantially vertical position contiguous to a van: wall, foldable support elements pivotally connecting the free edges of said decks to said van side walls: and a combination auxiliary freight supporting deck and freight retaining wall for eachof said first mentioned decks, said auxiliary decks each being-pivotally'secured to. theiree edge of saidifirst mentioned decks. and

being provided'with tubular-side members having their free ends open, and a sliding latch bolt 3 positionedwithin each of said: tubular members adapted to be inserted withintlie tubular'mem ber of: an: opposed auxiliary deck when said auxiliary decks are swung. to. a. substantially horizontallposition, said latch bolthaving looki ing means adapted to retain it in any adjusted position and being providedwith a projection on its innerend, the free end'of each of said first mentioned decks havingvertically disposed apertures formedtherethrough concentric withsaid tubular memberswhen said members are vertically disposed, said latch boltprojections each being adapted to be extended through their respective apertures to retain said'auxiliary decks.

vertical freight retaining position, and adjusta-ble locking means for retaining said latch.-

bolt projections within said apertures.

EARLW. SHREVE.

REFERENCES CITED;

The following references are. of record in the file otthispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 211,072 Whitman etal Dec. 17, 1878 355,277 Newell Dec. 28, 1886 1,'119;466 Stebbins Dec; 1, 1914" 1,242,331 Deroche Oct. 9; 1917' 2,077,649 Swceley et al; Apr. 30, 1937 2,126,336 Mall Aug. 9, 1938. 2,462,619 Eisensmith Feb. 22, 1949 2501,4120 Steins Mar. 21, 1950. 

